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11/1/2024 0 Comments Molokai: The SwimAfter my third AT section back in May 2024, I immediately started training for Molokai swim. I had only four months left to get ready for this mega swim planned for mid-October. Being a lifelong swimmer, it took me just one month to feeling good in the water. During the summer months, I increased the number of practices, up to nine per week, and distances. I did several 10k swim at Walden Pond, MA on the weekends. Finally, I joined the MIT masters swim team in September, to try to get some speed and motivation from my teammates. Overall, it was as good a preparation as I could do, considering I still work. However, I also understood that it was a minimal training for a 28 miles (45km) open water ocean for two reasons: I only trained in a pool or a pond, never in the cold Atlantic Ocean, and the longest open water I have ever done was the 12k swim in Lake Mont Tremblant, Quebec back in 2022. I was relying on my decades of swimming, a good weather window and the right mindset.
Come October, I was checking windy.com app every day as our window for the swim was October 18-20. Finally, Ivan, my boat captain from Honolulu, sent me an email on Oct 12 saying that the swim was a go for the night of Friday Oct 18 to Saturday 19. We immediately bought plane tickets and prepared everything. Upon our arrival to HNL on Thursday afternoon, we met Ivan and Rachel, who would be my feeder, at the Ala Moana Park. We gave them my food and drinks and we went over the details of the swim and the feeding schedule. It was a lot to handle, especially right after an 11hrs flight, and Anne and I were somewhat overwhelmed. However, there was no time to think, as the weather window was only good for Friday night, a little over 24hrs after landing! We then went to our condo and settled in. After a short night and being awake early due to jetlag, we ate breakfast and went for a walk in Waikiki. Anne had decided early on that she would not go on the boat, for fear of being seasick and/or too nervous during the swim. I totally got that, as this swim was terrifying for both of us. Then, it was time to go our separate way, her at the condo and me at the airport for my one-way to Molokai! After a 30min flight where I had the chance to look down to my goal, the massive Channel of Bones, aka Kaiwi channel, I took a taxi to Kepuhi Beach and waited there. Around 4:30pm, Rachel texted me that they would be at the beach in 10 min, coming in fast from Honolulu harbor. I quickly got myself ready and put on Desitin all over my body to avoid chafing and sunburn. Once the boat arrived, she swam to the beach to take my dry bag back to the boat, and at 4:58pm, I entered the water. Finally, I started the swim that I dreamt of for several years. It was a big relief because the weather looked good, and the water was a nice 78F. We had 1.5 hrs. daylight until sunset, and I settled into my usual pace. Since Ivan couldn’t have a full crew, there was no kayaker next to me, which is not usually the case. I didn’t mind, as long as the boat was on the side I breath, so I can always see it. The feeding schedule was every 30’, and not only it gave me the calories I would need but also helped breaking down the swim into smaller increments. My nutrition was mostly liquid-based, with alternating Carbo-Pro, Gatorade, and flat coke. At sunset, after having swum close to 5 miles in 90 min, and with the incredible light and the energy of the crew, I felt great and happy to be moving away from Molokai. However, night was coming, and I was not sure how I would react to swimming into darkness for hours on end. It was a new experience for me and there definitely was some anxiety. During my training, I always envisioned sharks being around me - after all that’s their territory – and what I would do if one shark gets too close for comfort. I watched many YouTube videos with divers gently pushing sharks on their nose and redirect them away from them. However, it was dark now and I could not see anything below me or coming at me. So, there was no point stressing about things that I had no control over. Therefore, I forgot about what was below the surface and focused only on the boat and swimming towards Sandy beach, Oahu. Aside from sharks, a much bigger problem, and one that ruined many swimmers’ dreams of crossing the channel, was jellyfish, especially the Portuguese man o’ war. Ivan told me beforehand that I would get stung at some point during the swim. And it happened the first time, at around mile 10, on my left arm. It was not bad and didn’t bother me too much. However, the second time, around mile 15, was much more painful, again on the left arm. But since I got stung several years ago in Hawaii, I knew what to expect and that the burning sensation would decrease after 10-15’. Now it is 11pm, and I have already swum 17 miles in 6hrs. I still felt good, despite feeling like being in a washing machine since the start. My pace was still great for a fast crossing, although my right shoulder was getting tighter. An hour later and it was getting worse. Rachel gave me some Advil at the next feed, and I started doing backstroke a bit and breathing on the left side to relax the shoulder. We were now only 8 miles from Sandy beach, and I knew that these miles were going to be challenging. I slowed down significantly after mile 20, because the right shoulder was really painful. But even though my technique was gone, luckily, the energy level was still there, and I kept making progress. However, Ivan warned me before the start that there is often a strong current as we approach the Oahu coastline, that pushes back swimmers to Molokai. And very often, swimmers get stuck there, sometimes for hours, only 6km from Sandy beach. It got me worried for the first time, as I was not sure how long the shoulder would hold before giving up. I would stop every 15-20’ to stretch it and asked them how far the beach is. But eventually, I started seeing lights in front of me, and Ivan told me that there was only 3 miles left. It was 4am and it meant that I would probably finish in the dark, before sunrise. I was so close and yet, anything could happen. An hour later, I clearly saw strong lights and Ivan stopped me for my last feed. He then told me that lights were from my wife’s and someone else’s cars, waiting for me at Sandy beach. He would stay there as the boat could not get any closer, and told me to swim towards the lights, as it was still very dark outside. I was about half a mile from the beach, and I swam on my own for the first time, without the safety of the boat and crew, but knowing that it was the final stretch. It took me only 10-15’ and after dreaming of this moment for many months, I finally touched the ground and exited the water at 5:16am. There was no fanfare or big crowd waiting for me at the beach, just a handful of people. But I didn’t mind, as I was done with the swim, and Anne was the only person I wanted to see. She has been extremely stressed about this challenge, and I was happy that we both could finally put Molokai behind us. After recovering a bit, we drove to a harbor close by where we met Ivan, Kevin and Rachel for celebratory pictures and big hugs. The next day, we went to Tracks Beach Park where we met several local swimmers and members of the Kaiwi Channel Association, who gave me and Bengisu, a young Turkish female swimmer who crossed the channel that same night, our official certificate. She did the 4th fastest crossing in history in 12hr10, and I did the 8th fastest in 12hr18. Not only that but I became the oldest male finisher at 61 years old (only 1 day shy of my 62nd birthday). Captain Ivan, 2nd pilot Kevin and Rachel, my feeder, have been amazing all night long, and I cannot thank them enough to have always kept an eye on me. They gave me confidence and boost when I needed, and I knew I could trust them. The members of the Kaiwi Channel Association have all been very supportive, and Anne and I hope to join them in their morning swim once I retire for good. And Anne, well now you can relax a bit. 5 down, 10 to go!
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10/16/2024 0 Comments Molokai: The genesisBack in 2016, when I wrote down my bucket list of adventures I wanted to do, it came to me quickly. First were the highest mountains on each continent, after reading the great book “Seven Summits” by Dick Bass and Frank Wells. Because I’m no mountain climber, I added Mount Rainier, as a steppingstone and training ground prior to starting the Seven Summits. Although I have already done the RAAM bicycle race and the Kona Ironman triathlon in the past, I wanted to include them in the list. Then came the RUNAAM, again because of a book I read, “UltraMarathon Man” by Dean Karnazes. Finally, I added two ultra-distance hikes, AT and PCT, and a smaller one, JMT, to gain some backpacking experience I didn’t have. All in all, I had 14 adventures and with that, I started developing my website. However, when I put one picture for each adventure on the homepage, I quickly realized that to fill the page properly, I would have to add one more adventure.
I then remembered a swim challenge called “Oceans Seven”. I looked online and it was about seven open water channels swims around the World. One of them immediately caught my attention, Molokai (Kaiwi) channel swim in Hawaii, for two reasons. Number one, my wife Anne and I loves Hawaii, for its beauty, the diversity of each island, and the “Aloha” spirit. And number two, of all the seven channels, Molokai is the only one with warm water! I could never do the English Channel for example. So, Molokai became #15 on my bucket list….and it’s about to happen! People says that if your dreams don’t scare you, they are not big enough. Well, I’m scared as hell about this Molokai swim. And I’m a lifelong swimmer. I would never define myself as a hiker or mountain climber or cyclist, even if I can finish my 15 dreams. But I grew up as a swimmer. I’ve spent countless hours training in the pool or swimming in lakes and oceans. Swimming has been the center of my life. I even met Anne, my future wife, in a pool in Montpellier, France, some 38 years ago! However, I’ve never done anything close to this. Molokai channel swim is on another level. It’s the longest of all seven channels, and it’s considered one if not the hardest one to conquer. Not only you have to be able to swim 28 miles (45km) in open water between the island of Molokai and Oahu. You must deal with the abundant marine life, like sharks and jellyfish. If it’s not enough, the weather in the channel is very unpredictable and usually rough. And finally, because the waves are usually big in the afternoon on Oahu, you have to time your finish in the morning…. which means that you have to start the evening before in Molokai. Yes, it’s a night swim! And yes, it takes an average of 14 to 18 hrs. There you have it. We are flying to Honolulu tomorrow and the swim is planned for Friday evening to Saturday morning. It’s a kind of a short turnover but at least there will be no time to stress out too much before the swim. Waiting game is always the worst. More info to follow… Doing a section hike on the AT is always nerve-racking, no matter how experienced one can be. That is because you feel like you start from scratch all over again every single time you step on the trail. It takes time to build confidence, feeling safe and immersing yourself in the woods, and most importantly get your trail legs. For me, it has been 2 years since my last section and I forgot what life on the trail was like. I was nervous when I arrived at Mountain Harbor Bed & Breakfast, TN but also excited to be there. I was about to resume my journey to Maine.
I had planned to do slack-packing (light pack) for the first two days. However, looking at the map on the Farout app, I realized that I could potentially do it on Day 3 as well, but it would be a huge 42 miles hike to Damascus, VA. I decided to wait until the end of Day 1 to see how I felt. I had a 10am late start but despite 32 miles with big climbs, I was able to finish under 10hrs. Day 1 gave me the confidence I needed and I committed to do the “Damascus dash”. Day 2 was a little bit easier but still with 33 miles to go to Boots Off hostel. I arrived there almost at dark and after a quick shower, and my first Peak Refuel Chicken Pesto Pasta dried food (yummy!), I went to bed for a short night. Day 3 started at 5am and I found myself hiking along the Watauga Lake before sunrise. I always felt great hiking in the dark and it was no exception. Apart from a big 2,000 feet climb at the beginning, the rest of the day was relatively easy, and after some 14+ hours of hiking, I entered Damascus, VA. I immediately went to dinner at the Damascus dinner restaurant before they close. My legs were trashed but I was happy to have hiked more than 100 miles in 3 days. Day 4 would be the worst day of the week. It started by missing the entry of the trail just outside of Damascus. Then, a few miles later, I lost my GPS tracker. I did not realize it until later in the afternoon. Unfortunately, at that point, I was deep into the wood with no cell signal and no way to tell Anne-Cecile I was fine. I kept hiking while checking my phone regularly, without much luck. Upon arriving at Lost Mountain Shelter around 6pm, it started to rain lightly and thunder were rolling. In normal circumstances, I would have stopped there, but I knew that if I kept going up the hill toward Buzzard Rock, I would eventually get a signal and be able to call home. That is what I did. After leaving the shelter, rain got stronger and the wood got darker and more sinister by the minute. Stress level went several notches up, but luckily, I was still okay physically. Finally, around 7:30pm, I got a signal and called Anne. After the call, the last item on my shitty day was to find a tent site because the next shelter was obviously too far away. I was drenched by the rain and getting cold and hungry. It took me another hour to find a suitable space on the side of the trail. Finally, after setting up my tent and eating a soup and a dried food dinner, I was able to relax after a long stressful day but with still 24 miles covered with my full pack on. Day 5 was very muddy and slow going, with still lots of rain in the morning. I saw the wild ponies in the Grayson Highlands, but the weather was cold and windy and I could not enjoy the view. I stopped at a hostel in Troutdale, VA and tried to clean/dry everything and get a good night sleep. By then, my left leg was really bothering me. I put some ice and take ibuprofen to manage the pain, hoping that it will not get worse. Day 6 was sunny and I hiked 22 miles to the Mt Rogers Nat. Rec. HQ where I got the shuttle to downtown Marion, VA for the Merry Hiker Hostel. Around 15 thru-hikers were there and it was very cool to talk with them about their own AT experience. The best part however, was that restaurants were literally next door, no need to walk. The two highlights of Day 7 were the crossing of ¼ of the way from GA to ME around mile 550, and the stay at the most beautiful hiker hostel I have been so far, the Quarter Way Inn. However, by Day 8, despite my best effort, the pain on my leg would not go away and I hobbled my way to the Burke’s Garden Hostel where I had decided during the day that it would be the end of this year’s section hike. I was a bit disappointed but the AT, whether you thru-hike or just section it, is challenging and you have to know when to stop to avoid bigger problems. On my way to the airport, my shuttle driver told me that the best time to hike in South Virginia is during the fall foliage season, around mid-October. That is probably when I will go back to the AT in 2025 to continue my journey north. Frogman 4/5/2023 0 Comments Day 4 to Day 6: Barranco Camp (12,990ft / 3960m) to Uhuru Peak (19,340ft / 5895m) to Mwega Gate (5,350ft / 1630m).Day 4 started immediately by climbing the famed Barranco wall, or Breakfast wall. It was rock scrambling for about an hour, with an obligatory stop in the middle of it to “kiss the rock”. It was not as dangerous as it sounds, but we still had to be careful, as a fall there could have been disastrous. After a few hours, we had a quick lunch at Karanga camp, where most people stop for the day, in order to get more acclimatization time. We did not have this luxury, so we kept hiking in the afternoon until we reached Barafu camp, at 15,200ft / 4670m. The camp was scattered over a large area, and many people from different expeditions were already settling in. We were now in the alpine desert climate zone where there is no vegetation and the temperature is cold. Barafu is the last camp before the summit attempt, and you want to arrive there as early as possible. Because the next day is the big one. After a quick dinner – we could not eat much – Ravi and Fadhili gave us the daily briefing to go over our summit push. Wake-up call would be at 11pm and start at midnight. Despite the usual headache for Estelle and me, we did not have any other issue, and we were all confident and very excited about the next day. We prepared our backpacks and tried to get some sleep for a few hours.
A summit push on a big mountain is always special because you have to start in the middle of the night, usually between 11pm and 1am, and it is the last step between you and the goal of reaching the top. We barely slept but it did not matter because we felt so happy just being there, on Kilimanjaro, just a few hours from the peak. At midnight, we left Barafu camp and we saw in the distance a line of headlamps from climbers ahead of us. Early March is close to the end of the climbing season but still there were probably a hundred climbers that night going to the top. We passed many big groups that were going slow, as we were only six (two guides, one porter and us). We made good progress and we did not stop very often, as it was cold. Estelle and Damien were strong while I had some slight balancing issue from time to time, not to a point of falling but still annoying. About 30’ before reaching the crater rim at Stella point, we stopped for a break and Ravi measured my O2 saturation. To our surprise, it was at 61%. It was low, but I did not have any shortness of breath, dizziness, or mental confusion. Ravi told me that it would be better if I go down, but I decided against doing it, because we were now less than 90’ from the top, the hardest part of the climb was almost over, and I still felt very strong and fully aware of things. Therefore, we kept going up and reached Stella Point at 18,800ft (5739m) just before sunrise. With the first ray of light, we were able to see the entire crater of Kilimanjaro, remnant of few small glaciers that once crowned the entire summit, and an unobstructed 360° view. We still had one hour to go before reaching the top, but it was a very easy walk and at 7:15am, Estelle, Damien and I finally stood on top of Kilimanjaro. At that moment, we, along with maybe 30 other climbers, were standing on the roof of Africa. The view was breathtaking and emotions were running high, as it was a dream of mine to do this adventure with my children. After taking pictures and enjoying the moment for a little while, we left the peak and started to go down. The day was not over and I did not want to take any chance with my health. In 3 hours, we were back to Barafu for lunch. We all felt tired but were able to hike down in the afternoon to Mweka camp (12,800ft / 3900m), at the beginning of the rain forest. Before dinner, the entire team celebrated our success by singing and dancing for us. All of them worked incredibly hard so that we were in the best possible condition to get to the top. They made everything so much easier for us, that we just needed to put one foot in front of the other, and not worry about logistics. Finally, we checked one last time my O2 sat and it was back to normal, at 93%. Day 6 was the last day on the mountain, and it started with another beautiful blue sky, and coffee served inside our tent by our devoted porter/waiter Godlisten. Before leaving camp and hike deep into the forest, we took some last pictures of Kilimanjaro, not fully realizing yet that we were at the very top just the day before. It took us only 3hrs to get to the Mweka gate (5,350ft / 1630m), the exit gate of the park. We signed the official registry book, received our certificate, and drank a well-deserved Kilimanjaro beer. Then, we drove away from the park and got back to our hotel in Moshi. In conclusion, it took a lot of time, effort and perseverance, from the moment I dreamt of climbing Kilimanjaro with my children, to finally have all the stars aligned, and actually doing it. As the saying goes, “If it were easy, everyone would do it.” But after all these years of being patient, even though these 6 days went by so fast, it was all worth it and I will cherish this special time with Estelle and Damien for the rest of my life. As we flew away from Tanzania the next evening, we finally got the chance to see Kilimanjaro from above, in all her glory, as if she was waving us a final goodbye. 4 down, 11 to go... 4/5/2023 0 Comments Day 1 to Day 3: Lemosho Gate (7,825ft / 2385m) to Barranco Camp (12,990ft / 3960m).After an overnight stay in Doha, Qatar, we arrived safely at the Kilimanjaro airport in Arusha, Tanzania. The drive to our hotel in Moshi, at the base of Kilimanjaro, was a bit chaotic as it seems that there are no rules on the road. But, contrary to Bostonian’s drivers, everyone keeps their calm and go with the flow. Or, as one of our guides would tell us many times over the next six days: “Hakuna Matata”, which means in Swahili “No problems”. Welcome to Tanzania!
The next morning, we met with our two guides, Ravi and Fadhili, who checked all of our gear, just to making sure we didn’t forget anything. Then, it was time to leave the hotel and finally embark on our journey to the roof of Africa, after several years dreaming about it. We drove for 2hrs until we arrived at the Lemosho gate, the beginning of the trail. There, while eating lunch and getting ourselves organized for the day, our team of two guides, ten porters and one cook had to weigh their respective loads so that it doesn’t go over 20kg (44lbs), by law. Finally, we set foot on the trail around 1pm, less than 24hrs after landing. When I did my research for the climb, I had three main constraints: time, acclimatization, and booking with a local company. We had only one week vacation, so the climb couldn’t be more than six days in total. And because no one was really acclimatized, I had to choose a route that gradually increases in altitude. It became obvious that the six days Lemosho route was the best possible option for us. It is the longest of all the different routes but, except for the summit day, the rest of the climb is not super steep. And the icing on the cake is that this route has probably the best scenic view of all. Finally, there are more than a hundred different companies to choose from, but after reading lots of reviews/comments online, I booked with TopClimbersExpeditions. They are one of the cheapest small companies and yet with lots of experience and great reviews. We wouldn’t be disappointed. Day 1 was pretty easy, hiking only 4.5mi (7k) and gaining 1,300 ft (400m) in the process. We were hiking in the rain forest, one of the 5 different climate zones on Kilimanjaro. Despite being at the end of the dry season, the forest was lush and very green. We even saw several monkeys. When we arrived at the Mkubwa camp, everything was already set up by the porters, like our tents, our mess tent, our private toilet. Tea and biscuits were served after doing “wash wash” with hot water. We even had a porter/waiter who would take care of us during the entire trip. It definitely was very luxurious, compared to my AT experience or JMT adventure with Damien. Day 2 was going to be a big day, going from Mkubwa (9,200ft / 2800m) to Shira II (12,800ft / 3900m) in 10 miles. The weather was perfect and we quickly left the rain forest to enter into the Afro-Alpine moorland zone, where vegetation is scarce. However, being above the tree line, now we could see for miles on end, with Mt Meru (fifth highest peak in Africa) in the distance. Everyone was in good spirits, and talking to the guides about Tanzania and life in general was very informative. It is one thing to watch news on TV from Low Income Countries, it is quite another to learn what life really is directly from locals and see it with your own eyes. And when the porters passed us on the trail at a blazing speed, eager to set up camp before we arrive at Shira II, with their huge loads on their back or head, wearing worn-out clothes and shoes, while we carry a small backpack and wear high-end gear, it makes us realize how privileged we are, just by being born in a different part of the World. Before this trip, we obviously knew that life is unfair, but this adventure made all of us acutely aware of it. Day 3 was the perfect day for the last acclimatization step. We started at Shira II (12,800ft / 3900m), had lunch at Lava Tower (15,200ft / 4640m), then hiked down to Barranco camp (12,800ft / 3900m). It is the ideal “climb high, sleep low” scenario. Because of the high elevation now, our guides told us to really hike “pole, pole”, meaning slow. And slow it was. Estelle and I started to get a slight headache. However, upon arriving to Lava Tower, we were served for lunch with French fries and chicken! Our cook was amazing, and we did eat everything that day. However, it was probably the last time we would be able to eat properly. Unfortunately, high altitude goes hand in hand with poor appetite. When we arrived at Barranco, we were tired and temperature was dropping now in the low 30F (0C). Usually on Kilimanjaro, the weather is clear and sunny in the morning, it gets cloudy around noon time, and again it clears up in the evening. After dinner, we had an incredible view of the top of the mountain, now very close. It has been 3 days since the beginning of the hike, and now that the “approach climb” was over, Estelle, Damien and I knew that things were getting serious. Beside a good preparation and a great fitness, the key to success in a multi-day hiking adventure is mostly about the pack weight. A heavy pack will slow you down quickly, and your body will have a hard time recovering. That’s basically what happened to me last year during the 1st section. A lighter pack will make you faster on the trail, but you will have to make some choice or sacrifice about what not to bring. I decided to go light this year and not take my tent and sleeping bag. Because ultra-light gear can be very expensive, I decided to buy just an emergency bivy and a tube tent. I was a little nervous about that choice, but my pack base weight (without food and drink) was only 15lbs. I knew that I would be fast and I was happy about that while flying back to Asheville airport in NC.
I arrived on Friday May 20th mid-day in Nantahala, NC, and resumed immediately my hike Northbound. It was hot and steep but I felt strong. After 16 miles and a brief dinner, I set up my “tent” for the very first time and tried to sleep. It was impossible and after 3 hrs. of tossing and turning, I decided to get back on the trail. It was 1am. So much for my brilliant idea! However, the advantage of hiking at night is that you cover a lot of distance, and at the end of the 1st full day, I already hiked 44 miles. Not too bad after a sleepless night. Obviously, I was done with this tube tent thing, and I stopped at a shelter, where I ended up with few other hikers and several mice during the night. That was my first night in a shelter, and it was not that bad. I actually slept and I was protected from the weather which was about to make things very interesting in the coming days. Last year, I had a little bit of rain on the last day, and that’s all. This year was the exact opposite. On Day 3, it was pouring rain nonstop and after reaching Clingman’s dome, highest elevation on the AT at mile marker 200, things got ugly and the trail literally became a river. It was a bit of a fight moving forward in this condition, but by that time, I was now used to life on the trail. Plus, I had booked 2 nights in a row on Day 4 and 5 in a hiker hostel (Standing Bear) and a lodge (Laughing Heart). Therefore, I could suffer a little bit, knowing that I would soon sleep in a real bed and clean myself up and my clothes. It rained again all day on Day 6 after the lodge stay in Hot Springs, NC, but I was only 3 days away from exiting the trail, and I didn’t mind at all. That night, I stopped at a shelter where were 2 dads with their 3 sons doing a backpacking trip, and a young woman and her dog, doing the whole 2,180-mile-long thru-hike! I’ve seen many college students starting their thru-hike in May, and hoping to finish by the end of August before class start again. That’s really impressive, knowing that they need to average about 20 miles/day to finish on time. Those kids are real badass, and if they end up in Katahdin, ME, this adventure will most likely set them up for success in life. My best day on the trail was on Day 5, where I had to cover 33 miles in order to be in Hot Springs in the evening. The excitation of being in a beautiful lodge at the end of the day, plus a nice weather for once, boosted my motivation and I succeeded. However, I felt really tired the last 2 miles and I was afraid of having pushed too much. But once again, I was amazed at how the human body can recover quickly. If you do something/anything long enough, your body will adapt and get better at it. It is that simple. By the end of only one week on the trail, my legs were stronger and I could cover the same distance much more comfortably than at the beginning. We truly have no idea how strong we can be, unless we put ourselves in this kind of situation. And when you do it, the feeling of pushing our own perceived limits is almost addictive. As much as I wanted to stay on the trail, I had to exit on Sunday because 1) I’m not retired yet and most importantly 2) Monday was our 35th Anniversary, which I could not miss. After one last day on the trail and 21 miles covered, where for the first time I was able to slack pack, with the help of my shuttle driver taking care of my back pack, I exited at Iron Mountain Gap, TN. In 1 hr., I went from being on the trail to the Johnson City airport. Talk about a change in scenery! But I know I’ll be back for Round #3 and will keep going North! Happy Trails everyone, Patrick, a.k.a Frogman “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth”, famously said Mike Tyson. That’s what happened to me at the end of Day 1 of my Appalachian Trail journey. I had planned 35 miles per day average and I felt good about this plan… while sitting on my couch. After an uneventful travel day from Boston, MA to Atlanta, GA to Amicalola Falls State Park, I settled in the campground and got everything ready for an early start the next day.
Wake-up call was at 3am, and I was in front of the arch to start the approach trail to Mt Springer, 8.8 miles with close to 3,000 feet of climbing, by 4am. It’s pretty brutal going up with a full backpack on but I was so excited being there that I didn’t mind. I arrived at the top of Mt Springer around 8am. After some snacks and obligatory photos, I officially started my AT journey going North. The scenery, basically a walk in the woods, was much different from the JMT last year, mostly high altitude trail above the tree line. Passes on the JMT were huge but at least there was a good respite on the other side of the mountain. The beginning of the AT is an unrelenting hike up and down for miles on end, with little time to recover. At the end of day 1, it took a toll on me, as I was trying to meet my 35 miles goal. I ended up stopping around 6pm, with 31 miles done and close to 8,000 feet of climbing. I was drained! After setting up camp and having dinner, I realized I would need to quickly adjust my strategy going forward. Day 2 started at 4am again. I decided to go relatively easy for the day and try to recover from a brutal start. I managed to hike 21 miles, and I felt a little bit better by the end of the day. Day 3 was more of the same, which made me realize that, based on this difficult terrain, I could average around 20 miles per day relatively comfortably, without risking injuries/sickness or being entirely depleted each night. Of course, I was a little disappointed by my performance, or lack thereof, but keeping my original schedule would have been plain stupid. Except for the occasional hikers, I was all alone in the woods, and if things go wrong, it could become ugly quickly. Having settled my pace strategy and swallowed my pride, I started Day 4 with peace of mind, and really began to fully enjoy the trail and what it has to offer. During the planning, I didn’t know what to expect about being alone in the woods for days…and nights, and if I would be anxious or even scared. I was thinking about bears and snakes, and psychos! To my surprise, I felt immediately at ease and safe. Actually, the time I enjoyed the most was when I hiked before sunrise. For a couple hours, the forest was pitch dark and completely silent. Then, at 5:30am sharp (!), birds started singing. Finally the sun rose slowly and another day, far away from the fury of our society, would start. Life is much simpler and slower on the AT. And it’s an incredible feeling of being disconnected, even for a short moment, from our daily routine of constant pressure. It was like hitting pause and discover the simple joy of being in the nature. I could have gone on for weeks, but I had to plan my exit. I decided to stop 1 day earlier so that I could get a shuttle to a hiker’s hostel and then a ride to the Asheville airport the next day. I finished my 7-days hike at Nantahala, NC, after some 150 miles done. All in all, it was a great introduction to the Appalachian Trail. This week passed very quickly and I cannot wait to go back to Nantahala, NC to resume my AT journey. After JMT last summer, I started training for the Ironman in Texas that was scheduled in April. My preparation was going according to plan, and I was hoping to be able to qualify for the big one, the World Championship in Kona, HI in October. Then, one month before the race, we received the news that IM Texas was postponed (again!) due to Covid restrictions. Once again, I decided to switch gear, put my Kona dream on the back burner, and started studying AT.
The Appalachian Trail, or AT, is a 2,190 miles hiking trail on the East Coast, extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine, and crossing 14 states in the process. The concept of the Appalachian Trail was born in 1921 in the mind of Benton MacKaye, as a way to connect different regions on the East Coast. It took sixteen years to build it. The first person to hike the entire trail was Earl Shaffer in 1948. It took him 123 days. He did it again in 1965, and finally one last time in 1998, as a 50th anniversary celebration of his original journey. He was 79 years old(!) and became the oldest person at that time to thru-hike AT, all in 173 days. One can hike the AT going from Maine to Georgia (South Bound – SOBO), or Georgia to Maine (NOBO). One can also hike the entire 2,190 miles trail in one go (thru-hike), and it would usually take between 5 to 7 months, averaging between 10 to 15 miles per day. Obviously, a thru-hike is the most challenging but most rewarding experience you can get from the trail but it means putting on hold your life for the better part of a year. I am not in a place where I can afford leaving everything for several months. Luckily, one can also section-hike the AT, usually 1-2 weeks at a time, and that’s what I am planning to do. I decided to hike NOBO, starting in Springer Mountain in Georgia. I then studied the map and saw that Hot Springs in North Carolina, was a very popular trail town, 276 miles from the start, and most importantly close to the Ashville regional airport, that would fly me back home. Finally, I worked on the daily mileage based on the JMT experience. Damien and I averaged about 20 miles per day. But AT is much lower in elevation, with the highest elevation being the summit of Clingmans Dome (6,644 feet) in NC, while JMT elevation is almost entirely above 8,000 feet. And also, I will be hiking solo this time. Based on these 2 big differences, I devised a 35 miles day average pace that would put me in Hot Springs in 8 days. I really hope that I will live by the African proverb: If you want to go fast, go alone! My entire AT journey will take several years, and it’s about time to start putting on miles, one step at a time. Official start is Sunday May 23rd at/around 4am! You can follow me on my website, or Instagram/Facebook. Patrick aka Frogman (Trail name) After a good night sleep and a delicious breakfast, doing laundry, filling up our BV with our resupply food and repacking our backpacks took a lot of time. That would be our last luxury respite and we were in no hurry. We were finally back on the trail by 11am. Our next goal was to reach the Muir Trail Ranch, site of our last resupply, some 50 miles away. MTR is at the half way point of the JMT and it took us 3 days to get there. Because of our late start, Day 4 was our lowest daily mileage (13.5) of the entire trip. We stopped for the night at Purple Lake and were greeted by 2 awesome dogs and one alpaca, with their keeper close by. It was very cool to see them again in the morning before we left. On Day 5, as we hiked up Silver Pass, we took a break at Squaw Lake, another incredibly beautiful high-altitude lake. Even after 5 days on the trail, Damien and I couldn’t believe how lucky we were to be there, witnessing the beauty of nature in its purest form. All the relative suffering and discomfort that we endured was rewarded by moments like this and it recharged us every single time. The next day, we pushed to MTR and we arrived there in early afternoon, after going over Seldon, another 11,000 feet pass. We collected our food, bought some gas canisters, recharged our batteries/phones, and hiked a little further before setting up camp. We were half way done, with no major physical issues, a perfect weather and right on our planned 12 days schedule. However, we tried not thinking of Mt Whitney yet, as the 2nd half is more difficult, with 6 higher passes and many uncertainties.
Day 7 was a long gradual climb up to Muir Pass, going from 8,000 feet to 11,500 feet in 16 miles. However, we stopped 1 mile short of the pass at Wanda Lake, another surreal camp site. We met briefly with a very cool family of four, who loved the Tour de France and were enjoying a multi-day hiking trip. The next morning, we went up and over Muir Pass, but not without Damien leaving a note inside the Muir hut. We decided to stop a little early in the afternoon as the clouds were building up in the valley, but luckily we avoided the rain. We were in the middle of Mather Pass and knew that the next day would be tough. The start of Day 9 was brutal, with the Golden Staircase, a series of steep stairs and switchbacks, gaining 2,000 feet in 4 miles up to Mather, at 12,100 feet. It was very hard work but we were far from being done with the day, as we wanted to go over Pinchot Pass as well. We stopped for lunch at Marjorie Lake, half way up to Pinchot. Despite our stop, we both felt really tired and going over the 2nd pass of the day was a struggle. We hit the wall big time for the 1st time since we left Yosemite. Also, we started to worry about our food stock. On a normal year, there is plenty of hikers on the trail and also trail angels, people that provide food at camp sites. But this year, there were far fewer hikers and no trail angels. We still had just enough meal backpacking food but very little snacks. On the way down from Pinchot, a friendly couple gave us some soup and home-made food that broke the routine of eating our dried food. As we started Day 10, we were less than 50 miles away from Mt Whitney, with 2 other passes in between, Glenn and Forester. However, we couldn’t stop thinking about our food, or lack thereof. We checked the bear boxes at a camp site at the bottom of Pinchot, but they were all empty. We then asked a young hiker for food but he didn’t have any to spare. However, he told us that we might be luckier at Lower Rae Lake, as it was a very popular day hike camp site. As we approached Rae lake, we were not in panic mode yet, but really stressed out about our lack of food. When we got to the camp site, I rushed to the bear box while Damien found 3 hikers near the lake. As luck would have it, we both were successful, as the bear box contained food and the hikers, 3 siblings from the LA area, were at the end of their trip and still had plenty. It just shows how truly incredible the hiker community is, and how patient one must be during a long multi-day hike like JMT. We left the camp with a big smile, went over Glenn Pass and hiked another 8 miles before setting up camp. Day 10 was one of the more stressful days so far but now we were just 26 miles away from finishing JMT, and nothing would stop us, or so we thought. During my research before JMT, I read everywhere that Forester Pass was the most gorgeous of all the passes. On a glorious morning of Day 11, Damien and I couldn’t agree more. What a beautiful, yet tough climb it was! As we reached the top at 13,200 feet, a dozen or so hikers were resting and admiring the scenery, with Sequoia NP on one side of the pass and Kings Canyon NP on the other. Only left now was Mt Whitney, 21 miles away. When we planned the hike, we wanted to be at Guitar Lake the night before, so that we could summit Whitney at sunrise. We rushed down Forester and pushed all day but in the end, we stopped for the night 1.5 miles shy of Guitar Lake. It was very cold at 11,000 feet and already nighttime when we set up the camp, something that we had always avoided. After many days averaging close to 20 miles, our bodies started to fall apart. Upon awakening at 3am for the last day, Damien felt dizzy and I had severe GI issues. We got ready and started the last climb as fast as we could because of the cold. It was slow moving, mainly because I had to stop often. We saw many people going up with their headlamps on in the distance. As the sky was clearing up, we realized we wouldn’t be at the top for sunrise. But at that point, we just wanted to finish the climb. When we arrived at the junction a couple hours later with 1.9 miles to go, it was a huge relief for us because we could leave the backpacks there for the final stretch. As Damien was finishing strongly his JMT, I was really hurting badly and it took me a lot to climb those last 2 miles. But ultimately, we reached the top of Mt Whitney, 14,508 feet, at 8am. Damien immediately called Anne-Cecile to let her know that we were done but I couldn’t talk to her as I burst into tears. JMT has been a dream for both of us for a long time and, standing there together after 12 incredible days was very emotional. He and I have lived an incredible adventure and we will have these memories for the rest of our lives. 3 down, 12 to go… 12/14/2020 0 Comments First 3 days: A Trial by FireBecause of some neighbors being very “awake”, even after quiet hours, we couldn’t fall asleep. At our supposedly 1am wake up call, I decided to give us a bit more time and we finally woke up at 3am, after a miserable night. I could see that Damien was upset. He barely touched his breakfast, and it got me worried, especially knowing what would come on Day 1. But I didn’t say anything and at 4am, we were out of the door, backpacks and headlamps on, ready to walk along the Happy Isle loop road to the official start of the John Muir Trail. The air was warm and with no soul in sight, it was an eerily moment for both of us. After 15min, we were standing in front of the High Sierra Loop Trail sign, with the distance of 211 miles listed at the bottom. After some obligatory pictures, we finally set foot on the JMT, with the goal of going all the way to Mt Whitney.
The first 2 miles to the top of Vernal Fall are pretty brutal, especially with a 30 pounds backpack. We took our first rest there and Damien tried to eat something but threw it up immediately. He was really anxious and I did my best to reassure him that it would be better later in the day. We had planned and were very excited to climb Half Dome at sunrise, which was included in our permit. However, with our late start and Damien not feeling well, I decided after a few more miles not to do it. It was an easy decision and he felt more relaxed afterwards. When we got to the HD trailhead at mile 5.6, I called my wife Anne-Cecile to give her an update and she too was happy about the new plan. That would be our last phone call for a while. Then we charged on with renewed energy, full daylight now and a chance to be ahead of our planned schedule. By the end of Day 1, instead of stopping at Sunrise High Sierra Camp at mile 12.6, we stopped at Cathedral Lake at mile 16.6. We immediately took a dip in the lake and really enjoyed the sunset surrounded by mountains. Then setting up camp for the first time and doing all the chores of unpacking everything, preparing dinner, and getting ready for the night while being tired was not so fun. We were not used to the outdoor life just yet and it showed! I knew that it would take time for us to feel comfortable on the trail and that the first 3-4 days would be critical to our success… or failure. Day 2 was much better though. After our breakfast with a view, we broke camp and started hiking around 7am. We were already close to 10,000 feet in elevation, having gained 6,000 feet on Day 1. The plan for the day was to go over the first pass of JMT, Donohue at 11,000 feet, but it would mean a 20+ miles day. We were confident about it as we passed many hikers and we also didn’t have any issues. We took a nice break in the afternoon along the Lyell fork, at the bottom of Donohue, and chatted briefly with a couple who showed us their portable hot shower! Very cool but way too heavy for us. We then started the climb and went over it 1hr before sunset. We witnessed an amazing view from the top! On the way down, we met a girl who was going the opposite direction as us. As it turns out, she was 900 miles into the Pacific Crest Trail, all alone, and was hiking in crocs because her hiking shoes were destroyed. She saved money for years in order to do PCT and was obviously living the dream. And we thought we were badass. Now this is next level! Her trail name is Toad and we both hope that she was able to complete her journey. After leaving her, we were in complete awe and it gave us a new perspective of our “little” adventure. After a few more miles, we stopped near Rush Creek Trail, having done 21 miles for the day. Setting up camp was faster this time, mainly because of many bugs killing us. Day 3 was our lucky day. The plan was to hike 18 miles to Red’s meadows, the site of our first resupply. The terrain was mainly flat for the day and then downhill to Red’s. Days before our trip, I called Red’s meadows and tried to book a cabin for the night. Everything was fully booked but the lady told me to try everyday as there might be some cancellation. After several more failed attempts, I lost hope and thought we’d be sleeping in our tent. Then, after we passed Rosalie Lake, we saw several hikers talking on their phone. There was a strong signal right there. We stopped, called home and then Damien told me to try again to call Red’s. I called without much hope but there was one cabin available! I booked it on the spot. We both were so happy because we started to feel pain in the shoulders, back, and we needed a big burger and a hot shower so bad! On the way to Red’s, we couldn’t stop thinking about a huge burger and fries, being already tired of our dried food. We arrived a few hours later, checked in and I asked when the Mule House Café would close. She said it has closed 1 minute ago! It was 6:01pm. She immediately saw our distress, went over there and convinced the chef to reopen the grill for us. Those were the best burgers ever! The day was saved not once but twice, and now after a real meal, a hot shower and the comfort of a cabin, we could finally relax. The first 3 days were very tough, emotionally and physically. We had hiked 56 miles and gained a lot more experience in the process. Damien was much more confident now and I felt strong. We knew intuitively that we had broken a mental barrier and now, unless some physical issue, we would finish the JMT. |
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